Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-12-23
1 spoke to Ned Fuller about this

I spoke to Ned Fuller about this
sometimes, but he told me that when I
was his wife we should return their
sleights with interest.
"I'm catch, you know" he used to
say. "They all want me. Lots OF wo.
men will be jealous Of you: my dear. :"
1t was the speech of fop and q
puppy. I did not see that then. L
thought him witty, and felt that he
was telling the truth in fun.
In place o. my plain gold ring 1 had
cluster diamond, which Ned begged
me to keep for while, until we told
our secret to everybody. l kept our
engagement from my parents.
To-day blush for shame when I
think OF it, and I promised to be mar
ried to him privately, to give him time
for him to "bring his mother and aunt
to the idea"
Meanwhile Edwin Merriam had been
called to little church with four
roomed parsonage beside it, in which
once thought 1 should be happy to
make homo for him. He was ten
good miles away, but one evening /
looked up and saw him standing near
me-just where we parted on the old
porch.
In the moonlight he looked SO pale
that [ almost thought him ghost
els it you?" l cried.
And I had the strongest wish to
throw my arms around his neck.
ut is l." he said. II do not expect
to he welcomed; but tell me, do you
think would lie?"
ooh, no" said I. II would believe
any word you sail to me-"
"That is right" said he. "Believe
me all brother ought to be to young
sister. You are doing very wrong,
Elizabeth. You are deceiving your
parents. j know your plans"
For once [ WAS frank.
II can't tell how you became aware
of it," said. "And it seems wrong
but circumstances force us to do it,"
Edwin shook his head.
"Refuse to be married privately" he
said. II insist on your telling your
mother, OF 1 will"
"Out of revenge? That is not consist
ent with your cloth, said.
"No," said Edwin; "God bless you
and make you happy, but this man has
no intention OF marrying you. His
wedding-da is fixed. That dark girl
with the great black eyes is to be his
wife. 1 swear it to you. You can
judge now why lie desires you to leave
home with him secretly"
listened, trembling with rage and
modification, and some other feeling
that could not explain to myself.
"No one would dare use mo so, SAID
I. "And Mrs. Fuller told me that he
pretended to like Miss Glider to de-
ceive his cousins"
He seemed to see that I was so dc,
cided in my choice that was not to be
shaken by what he knew I had termed
idle fancies. and abruptly left me- with
out saying more.
I vowed to myself that what he had
said was not true Alas! I felt that il
was.
There was party at Col. Fuller's
that night.
l slipped on my waterproof cloak
pulled the hood over my face, and Went
across the fields in the moonlight
/! through the silence. Heaven help me
1 found myself amongst the shrubbery
outside the library window.
1 saw the girl alone in the yellow
brocade that became her dark beauty
we'll.
saw Ned Fuller enter.
Little wife that is to be, how charm.
ing you are to-night!"
He sat beside her and took her hand.
I heard all they said.
They spoke of next year," and OF
the future; and she told him she had
heard he had Irritation with Farme,
Kendalls daughter.
"1hat girl" he said. "she looks like
a milkmaid, with her red cheeks and
thick waist, and she eats pork and cab,
bage for dinner. l so there to talk
about some mortgages with her father,
and she throws herself at my head.
Very bold, these country girls are, and
silly enough for anything, dearest.
] felt the worlds motion Just then,
as it seemed to me; the lights turned
to great blurs, aud l fell down among
the bushes.
When I came to myself, got up and
went home.
I was ill for some days before a fever
set in, of which thought should die
and once when L was at the worst ]
was aware of Edwin Merriam at my
bedside. He prayed softly for my
recovery, holding my thin, hot hand in
his all the while.